Device For The Connection Of Transport Devices

ABSTRACT

There is provided a device for the connection of transport apparatuses, in particular a twistlock, which has an elongate central portion and two lock members for engagement into corner fitments of the transport apparatuses. The two lock members respectively co-operate with the ends of the central portion in such a way that the two lock members are adapted to be displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the central portion. In that respect the invention is based on the realization that, with fundamentally identical mechanical requirements as on the state of the art, the range of use of the device according to the invention is substantially dependent on the length of the central portion. The length of the central portion determines the adjustment range of the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a device for the connection of transportdevices.

2. Description of the Related Art

Such devices are known in the form of what are referred to as twistlocksand are used for example to connect together transport apparatuses suchas for example containers, open transport containers, transport supportand cradle structures and the like. For that purpose those twistlocksare fitted into oppositely disposed corner fitments of the containersand the lock members are rotated by actuation of the rotary handle withrespect to the central portion. Due to the rotary movement of the lockmembers they engage into the corresponding corner fitment in such a waythat release therefrom is prevented.

Such a connection provides a force-locking engagement betweenhorizontally and/or vertically adjacent containers so that theindividual containers are connected fixedly but releasably to afford ablock comprising a plurality of containers. Connecting containers whichare standing in mutually juxtaposed relationship increases theground-contacting base area and thus naturally also increases thestability of the containers in terms of standing. It will be appreciatedhowever that the known twistlocks can be used only in relation topredetermined spacings between the transport apparatuses or only inrelation to the uppermost stacked containers.

In the event of differing spacings between the transport apparatuses, itis possible to provide for a bracing anchoring effect with bracingcables, for load-securing purposes. It will be noted however that thatpresupposes corresponding abutment options which however are not alwaysavailable or which cannot be used for other reasons, for exampletransport packet assemblies which just on their own occupy a pluralityof container placement locations in the longitudinal direction.

DE 196 52 817 C1 discloses a kit for the rigid connection of twocontainers provided at their corners with hollow corner fitments. DE 1581 134 discloses a coupling member for transport containers. DE 196 21456 A1 discloses a stowage portion for stowing transport containers inmutually juxtaposed relationship. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,125 discloses aconnecting element for containers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,463 discloses aconnecting element for containers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is provided a device for the connection of transport apparatuses,in particular a twistlock, which has an elongate central portion and twolock members for engagement into corner fitments of the transportapparatuses. The two lock members respectively co-operate with the endsof the central portion in such a way that the two lock members areadapted to be displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the centralportion.

In that respect the invention is based on the realization that, withfundamentally identical mechanical requirements as on the state of theart, the range of use of the device according to the invention issubstantially dependent on the length of the central portion. The lengthof the central portion determines the adjustment range of the device.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention the central portionhas a male screwthread at at least one of its ends and at least one ofthe two lock members has a hole with a corresponding female screwthreadso that, by rotation of the central portion, the male screwthreadthereof co-operates with the female screwthread of the lock member andthe lock member is moved along the longitudinal axis of the centralportion.

By virtue of rotating the central portion the lock members whichco-operate with the central portion are moved away from each other ortowards each other in dependence on the direction of rotation. Theposition of the lock members can thus be easily adapted to the spacingof the transport apparatuses.

In a preferred configuration of the invention there is provided a leveron each lock member. In that way the spacing of the lock membersrelative to each other can be so adjusted by way of a rotary handle onthe central portion that that spacing corresponds to the spacing of thecorner fitments at the transport apparatuses. When the lock members arein their predetermined position, each lock member can be rotated by thelever mounted thereto so that a connection is made between the transportapparatuses and the device according to the invention, as is known fromthe state of the art, but with different spacings in respect of thetransport apparatuses relative to each other.

In a further configuration each lever in that case is mountedsubstantially perpendicularly or radially with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the central portion in order to permit particularlysimple rotation of each lock member into the desired locking orunlocking position.

In a preferred configuration of the invention there is provided a borein at least one lock member. The central portion of the device accordingto the invention can be recognized through that bore. Suitablepositioning of that bore makes it possible to ensure that the connectionbetween the central portion and the lock member is at any eventsufficient as long as the central portion is still to be seen in thebore. That makes it possible to prevent unintentional incorrect fitmentby virtue of rotating the central portion excessively far out of thelock members.

Further configurations are the subject-matter of the appendant claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter with referenceto the Figures in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a twistlock in accordance with afirst embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a twistlock in accordance with asecond embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a part of the twistlock shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a twistlock according to a firstembodiment of the invention. The twistlock substantially comprises acentral portion 10 and two lock members 14 which are respectivelyarranged at the two ends of the central portion 10. Fixed to the twolock members 14 is a respective lever 16 which extends radially withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the central portion 10. A rotaryhandle 12 is fixed to the central portion 10.

A male screwthread is provided at each of the two ends of the centralportion 10. That male screwthread co-operates with a female screwthreadin a hole in each of the lock members so that the two lock members canbe screwed on to the two ends of the central portion 10, that is to saya left-hand and a right-hand screwthread co-operate.

By virtue of rotation of the rotary handle, the central portion 10 isrotated and the lock members 14 which co-operate with the centralportion 10 are moved away from or towards each other, depending on thedirection of rotation. The position of the lock members can thus beadapted in a simple manner to the spacing of the transport apparatuses.

The two levers 16 on the two lock members 14 serve to rotate the lockmembers in such a way that, when the lock members 14 are positioned in apredetermined longitudinal position in relation to the corner fitmentson the transport apparatuses, a connection is made between the transportapparatuses and the twistlock. The perpendicular or radial arrangementof the levers 16 relative to the longitudinal axis of the centralportion 10 permits simple rotary movement of the lock member 14 forlocking or unlocking purposes.

The twistlock is held in the corner fitment by an undercutconfiguration, as is also known in the state of the art. For thatpurpose the corner fitment is internally hollow and has at least onehole, the length of which is greater than its width. The lock member 14which is to be fitted into the corner fitment is of comparableproportions. The lock member 14 can therefore be fitted into the cornerfitment.

When now the lock member 14 is rotated through about 90° by means of thelever 16, its longitudinal extent extends in the direction of the widthof the opening in the corner fitment. As the longitudinal extent of thelock member 14 is greater than that width of the opening, the lockmember 14 engages with the corner fitment in the undercut configurationand can no longer be removed therefrom without firstly implementing anopposite rotary movement through 90°.

The rotary handle 12 is preferably of a cylindrical configuration and atat least one end has a male screwthread, on to which a nut can bescrewed. For fitting the rotary handle 12 accordingly one of the twonuts is unscrewed so that the rotary handle can be passed through a holein the central portion 10 and the corresponding nut can then be screwedback on again. That provides that the rotary handle 12 can be readilyfitted or removed.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a twistlock in accordance with asecond embodiment of the invention. This twistlock is of substantiallythe same design configuration as that described with reference to FIG. 1and has a central portion 11 with two lock members 15 at the two ends ofthe central portion, and a rotary handle 13. The essential differencebetween the twistlock shown in the first and second embodiments lies inthe configuration of the two lock members at the end of the respectivecentral portion 10, 11 and the length thereof.

The lock member has an end plate 15 c which in turn is substantially ofthe proportions of the opening in the corner fitment. That end plate isconnected by way of a narrower limb 15 b to the screwthread portion ofthe lock member 15, the end plate 15 c projecting in a direction towardsthe rotary handle 13, that is to say towards the central portion, beyondthe limb.

By virtue of rotation of the rotary handle 13, the lock members 15 canbe moved into the desired position and fitted into the corner fitmentsof two adjacent transport apparatuses or containers. Then the rotaryhandle 13 is moved in such a way that the two lock members move towardseach other. That results in engagement of the end plates in the cornerfitment in the undercut configuration thereof and a force-lockingconnection is made between the device and the corner fitment and theassociated transport apparatus.

On the outside of the lock members however there is now a gap whichsubstantially corresponds to the dimension of the undercuttingengagement of the end plate in the corner fitment. In order now to avoidunintentional release of the device, there is provided at least onesecuring plate 17 which is displaceable perpendicularly or radially withrespect to the central portion 11 in the direction of the limb 15, thesecuring plate 17 filling the opening in the corner fitment at least tosuch an extent that the engagement in undercut relationship of the endplate of the lock member cannot be at least completely nullified withoutpulling out the securing plate 17 and thus unintentionally.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the twistlock from FIG. 2. The lock member15 a here has a bore 19. The central portion 11 of the device accordingto the invention can be recognized through that bore 19. Suitablepositioning of that bore 19 makes it possible to ensure that theconnection between the central portion 11 and the lock member 15 a is atany event adequate as long as the central portion 11 is still to be seenor felt in the bore 19. That makes it possible to prevent unintentionalincorrect mounting by virtue of the central portion 11 being turnedexcessively far out of the lock members 15 a.

In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the twistlock the twoends of the respective central portions do not have a male screwthreadbut through holes are provided in the central portion at the respectiveends. The two lock members each have a respective through hole whichsubstantially corresponds to the through hole in the central portion. Toalter the spacing between the two lock members at the two ends of thecentral portion, a tommy bar or a rod can be passed through the openingin the lock member and through the through holes in the central portion.

In such an embodiment the rotary handle 12, 13 is not required asadjustment of the spacing between the two lock members is not effectedby rotating the central portion.

All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications,U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applicationsand non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/orlisted in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein byreference, in their entirety.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims.

1. A device for the connection of transport apparatuses, comprising: anelongate central portion and two lock members for engagement into cornerfitments of the transport apparatuses; and wherein the two lock membersrespectively co-operate with the ends of the central portion in such away that the two lock members are adapted to be movable along thelongitudinal axis of the central portion.
 2. The device according toclaim 1 wherein, the central portion has a male screwthread at at leastone of its ends and at least one of the two lock members has a hole witha corresponding female screwthread so that by rotating the centralportion the male screwthread on the central portion co-operates with thefemale screwthread of the lock member and the lock member is moved alongthe longitudinal axis of the central portion.
 3. The device according toclaim 2 and further comprising: a rotary handle for rotating the centralportion.
 4. The device according to claim 1 comprising: a lever on eachlock member.
 5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the lever ismounted substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe central portion.
 6. The device according to claim 1 furthercomprising: a securing plate on at least one of the two lock members,the securing plate being displaceable substantially radially withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the central portion.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein a bore is provided in at least one of thetwo lock members.